Photo by John Moore via Getty Images

By Andrea Loewen
@ms.andreajoy

It is hard to know what to say when children–including nursing infants taken to gut-wrenching “tender age” shelters–have been taken away from their parents at the US borders and held in “detention centres” (prisons), with no plan for how to reunite families after the fact. It is a massive, disgusting, heartbreaking, confusing, enraging tragedy.

Reports are that the Department of Homeland Security is currently drafting a policy to keep children with their parents. But even if they end the practice now, there will be a huge backlog of advocacy, policy reform, and humanitarian aid needed. The work is simply not done yet.

Places to Protest:

If you want to show up in person and live in, or close to, America, here is a map of all known protests happening across the United States.

Places to Donate:

There are plenty of charities on the ground working hard to protect and support these families, here are a few that accept international donations.

The American Civil Liberties Union: They are coordinating lawyers and filing lawsuits to reunite families.

RAICES Family Reunification Bond Fund: A parent cannot get released from custody and find their children until their immigration bond is paid, and that cost is at least $1,500 US. This fund is helping pay those bonds so parents that are released can get back to their kids faster. You can also donate directly via Facebook here.

National Immigration Justice Centre: They work with advocates for adults and children detained at the border and supports parents separated from their children.

Kino Border Initiative: This organization provides direct humanitarian relief to deported migrants and is working at the border now.

Here is a call to action on Facebook to write the PR teams of MVM Inc. and General Dynamics and tell them that the world is watching.

In Canada:

In Canada, we don’t have to look far for our own practice of separating children from their parents. Not only do we have a history of taking Aboriginal children away from their families, from residential schools to the sixties scoop, but it still happens today. The First Nations Family & Children Caring Society of Canada has the Spirit Bear Plan to keep Aboriginal families together that needs our support.

You can also read the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action and pick one to help support.

If we missed a charity that is open to international donations and support, please comment below. 

Andrea is a Vancouver-based writer, theatre producer and promoter, choreographer, and yoga instructor with a big dose of love for sci fi/fantasy, her cat, green tea, riding her bike no matter the weather, and using a robot to vacuum her floors so she doesn’t have to.  She covers dance for Vancouver Presents, as well as writing for her own blog, The Receptionist and co-producing and co-hosting the podcast Life, Right? www.andrealoewen.com